ANAGRAM THAT SAYS IT ALL!!

HOW  DOES ONE HEAR FROM THE LORD?

Obviously......learn to listen!

What must one do to listen to the Lord?

Get out your Scrabble Board to find the answer!

Look for the 6 word anagram for listen!!

Do you see it?

Being silent before the Lord is key for one to listen so as to truly hear.

Be still. Silent and still enables one to know that He is LORD! (Psalm 46:10)

WISE WORDS!

WEEKEND WISDOM!

Wise Words.

5 words or FEWER. Here they are....count them.

Look for the BIG meaning! (Citations don't count)

• Be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)
• Seek the Lord's strength; (1 Chronicles 16:11)
• Joy of Lord is strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) 
• God is my heart's strength. (Psalm 73:26)
• Quietness and trust is strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

What's the focus for each set of "5 or FEWER"?

Strength of course!

JUMBLED FOCUS!

Is "jumbled focus" an oxymoron? Or am I just the moron? 

Wordsmiths know all about such contradictory terms. 

For this moron, whose brain is in a state of "organized chaos" these days, some oxymorons seem to make sense.

But God, in His mercy and great love, (Ephesians 2:4) patiently reminds me to "keep on keeping on" in the focus realm.

Setting (and resetting as needed) my "mind on things above not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2)

God has been cutting me some slack lately as I have been in such a "fluctuating" state of focus. 

Maybe I, as well, need to "cut myself some slack" in the midst of this  "jumbled focus" time---knowing "in quietness and trust is my strength!"

LOST VOICE!

This morning I awakened with NO voice?

Sometimes in a group I might sense I have "no voice" in certain discussions. 

This new voice omission is not social; it's physical.

Today, long-time friends had "lunch and love" at Beth's. I couldn't even squeak out much that was discernible, so I laughed and  "listened."

 

LISTENING! Understanding dawned! 

Listening was the answer, literally.

Be still....listen to God and others had been a heart prayer of mine recently.

Quietude.

Faith strengthening increases as one seeks to listen the Lord in order to know him better. (Romans 10:17) Evidence of the strengthening in that relationship is seen as one chooses to listen! To God first and then to others.....looking not only to his/her own interest, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)

A "lost voice" was the perfect answer to my prayer! A blessing for me!

VIEW FROM A PORCH SWING

Today is Wednesday. Wordsmith Wednesday.

Words fail me. Words escape me.

Others' words are necessary.

 

In quietness and trust is my strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

Cool breeze. Tinkling of chimes,

Seeking that calm posture of prayer while sitting on a porch swing. 

A time of quiet repose. Letting go of fears.

Words from an old hymn come to mind.

For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,

Lord of all to Thee we (I) raise 

This our (my) hymn of grateful praise.

Enough said...thought and hummed, 

Just stillness from a porch swing.

FRIDAY FOCUS!

Simplicity of song heard this Friday morning was an "open invitation," of sorts to turn my eyes upon Jesus..... to FOCUS FULLY on HIM!

Just click and listen. .....for only a minute and a half to begin your focus.

Be still.....(Psalm 46:10

Fix your eyes upon Jesus........through song, meditation and prayer.

Look to Him.......in quietness and trust.(Isaiah 30:15)

Gaze on God. Glance at all else.

REFOCUS

Consider....opening His Word. (Hebrew 12:3)

Examine..focus on the fact that God is present & speaks to us as we read His Word. (Psalm 119:105)

Inspect...words you hear/read on line...Beware of false prophets

Seek...Him first. (Matthew 6:33)

Thank God in everything! (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Focus on Him......not self!  A great Friday Focus!!

SILENT RETREAT!

Silent Retreat.

Enough said.

Actually N0THING said aloud....for approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Not sure specifically because I never looked at my watch!

Those who really know me will find that hard to belief.

In quietness and trust is my strength. (Isaiah 3:15)

A CUPPA Tranquili-TEA Needed

More info when I calm the qualm with a cuppa.....

....a cuppa tranquili-TEA!

ATTACK-A-STACK

"Plop and Drop" is not usually the best way to study God's words.

But....this past week as "State of Emergency" was declared by our President, I have been using a "stack and attack" method along with my regular quiet times of study and prayers.

During this time of isolation, recommended by the CDC to prevent spread of the coronavirus, hubby declared he had "tested positive" for boredom. Not wanting to give-in to that, I've been reading a different devotional each day---sometimes 2. It's amazing how my eyes have been opened to these familiar entries with new insight.

Have a look at what truths I have seen. Glean truth from them as you read my impressions (sometimes w/ emphasis) or read entire entry if you have that devotional book.

3/13~All to Jesus~We can trust Him with loose ends and unsolved problems ....He expects us to depend on HIm with life's outstanding problems. 

3/14~Streams in the Desert~Do not fear these unknown things, but be content to accept the things you cannot understand and to wait. (Exodus 20:21)

3/15~My Utmost for His Highest~ As they followed, they were afraid. (Mark 10:32)" When darkness of dismay comes, endure until it's over, because out of it will come that following of Jeuss which is unspeakable joy." 

3/16~God Calling~ "My children I am here beside you. Draw near in Spirit to me. Shut out the distractions of the World. In quietness and confidence will be your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

3/17~St. Patrick's Prayer portions (Allen Bible)~I arise today with God's strength to pilot me; God's might to hold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me--Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,  Christ on my right. Christ on my left,  Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I rise....

3/18~Jesus Calling~ Don't get tangled up in...worry- webs. Trust me one day at a time. Do not be anxious about tomorrow,....Sufficient for the day is it's own trouble (Matthew 6:34) The next entry stated, "Let the Spirit change your mind , combing out tangles of deception."

3/19~Practically Holy~"Hope rises. ...live out the hope of the gospel even in the face of stress and loss, and grimness of this place. ...but I trust God. I choose to hope in God". (Colossians 1:22-23)

3/20~Edges of HIs Ways, I spent lots of time this morning meditating on passage from 2 Chronicles 7:10-16.  As I finished that time of meditation I picked-up Amy Carmichael' daily devotional notes. She began the March 20 entry with a question, "Have you ever noticed this? Whatever need or trouble you are in, there is always something to help you in your Bible, if only you go on reading till you come to the word God specially has for you." Carmichael continued, You will know it the minute you come to it, and it will rest your heart." The words I found this morning during my quiet time had done just that...."humble self, pray and seek God's face....He will hear from heaven and heal our land." 

It was as if I had received a God wink of affirmation for my "attack the stack" endeavor this week.                     

It's been fun trying a new way to "attack the stack" as a way of refocusing on the Lord anew each day!

GOD'S PROCLAMATION

Fearful. Anxious. Apprehensive. Concerned. Suspect. 

Wondering how to help neighbors?

A "pandemic proclamation" gives rise to all those emotions. 

BUT GOD..... PROCLAMATIONS allow His people to find safety and courage as they trust in Him. 

God's proclamation---Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10a)

The Lord's Presence indwelling His own people, should inspire trust and confidence. In quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

God's Read Psalm 46 when your world seems to be falling apart.

Continue to be diligent to obey all CDC declarations. Help and encourage others along those guidelines. 

Proclaim God's goodness to offer peace during this time of "Utter Confusion". (Armerding, p.86)

Simply Sharing

6/13/13 Sharing, among friends in the faith, isn't complicated---it's encouraging. Tuesday night was encouraging for me as gals in our simplici-TEA group "simply share"d with each other. Some sharing was done during the group time but "real" sharing continued as we sipped tea (or coffee) with yummy cake and listened one on one or two or three.

A 2000 Honor Book publication  provided some fun, simplistic tidbits for us to share in the group

.

If I Really Wanted to Simplify My Life, I Would....

• Take the scenic route home. Don't worry. Don't hurry, and don't forget to take time to smell the flowers.--Charles "Tremendous" Jones. You can turn the wheel toward a more serene experience. (emphasis mine, p. 84-85)
• Keep addresses and telephone numbers in the one place. (Information you can't find is information you can't use., 108-109)
• Go for depth over breadth. The best portion of a goo man's life is in his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. William Wordsworth. To simply live well, dig deep into what truly matters. (p.126-127)
• Turn off as much noise as possible. In quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15) Noise complicates; silence simplifies. (p. 131)
• ....stay focused on the truly important things in my life. If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles. (Don Larson, p.134)

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity. (Psalm 131:1)

How pleasant it was to "simply share" with sisters in the faith.

Sereni-TEA notes access for group members.

Solitude Sought

2/9/11 Duties. Details. Distractions. So many of those “D” words have been crowding my “quiet side” lately. I know many folks probably think I don’t even have a quiet side…..but God has shown me I need such. Just today as I sat curled up on the couch watching the snow falling quietly and gracefully, I was grateful for the time just to sit.

Do you ever ache for some quiet, yearn for some solitude? Job 3:26 says, “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” That verse shows the root of turmoil---lack of peace, lack of quietness, lack of rest.

Need to relieve your life of turmoil? Try a little solitude.

Maybe I, (and you?) in solitude, need to quietly reconnect with the One who reenergizes….. “in quietness and trust is your (my) strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)